Cats are meant to be part of the family. It's only natural that they spend time in every part of the house (even though you may not want them in every part of the house). Though we're undoubtedly thankful for that constant companionship, it's never fun when someone enters your home, and their nose immediately knows you're a cat person. Sure, you've cleaned up any accidents, but cat urine smells can come back to haunt you if you've failed to eradicate those stains.

Removing urine stains is an unpleasant responsibility for most cat owners, as few pet odors are stronger or worse than cat urine. Accidents involving urine require quick and effective clean-up to help prevent the problem from happening again. The ammonia-like stench is anything but pleasant for the owner and can encourage pets to re-mark the area.

Urine is usually around 95% water, with the other 5% a varying chemical cocktail including proteins, uric acid, salts, minerals, ammonia, and more.

When urine begins to dry, the organic compound in it called urea is broken down by bacteria, which makes it smell like ammonia. As it continues to decompose, it releases thiols that make the urine smell stronger. Uric acid is an additional component that is not water-soluble and bonds tightly to whatever it touches, including carpet fibers and mattress padding.

DIY solutions like a spritz of diluted white vinegar, a sprinkle of baking soda, or a blot with hydrogen peroxide may neutralize urine odors temporarily. But once a humid day rolls around, old, set-in uric acid can recrystallize and manifest again.

To remove old cat urine stains from carpet or remove cat urine stains from your mattress, you'll need to come equipped with a specific type of cleaning power. Typical carpet cleaners can leave behind spots or temporarily mask odors, making urine stains considerably harder to remove after they have dried.

Your solution is an enzyme cleaner with live bacteria to eliminate the stubborn odor's source. Simple Green Cat Stain & Odor Remover permanently dissolves stains and odors on both hard and soft surfaces. The formula contains safe bacteria that break down and digest soils.

Directions for Removing Cat Urine Stains:

Spot Cleaning

1. Absorb excess urine. Blot and absorb any excess urine with paper towels.
2. Spray the affected area with Simple Green Cat Stain & Odor Remover. Shake the spray bottle gently. Saturate the stained area with cleaner and let it sit. Allow the product to remain on the surface until it's dry. Restrict traffic while the area is drying.
3. Cover heavily stained areas. For heavily soiled areas with a strong odor, saturate the stained area and cover with a clean cloth or paper towel. Allow it to remain like this for 4-5 hrs. You will see the stain absorb up into the toweling.
4. Repeat. If necessary, repeat this process until the stain is gone. If you're cleaning carpet, vacuum to restore softness and even nap.

Machine Cleaning

1. Absorb excess urine. Blot and absorb any excess urine with paper towels.
2. Pre-treat stains. Pre-treat urine spots or stains on carpet with Simple Green Cat Stain & Odor Remover.
3. Add Simple Green Cat Stain & Odor Remover. Mix 3 ounces of product per gallon of water in the machine reservoir.
4. Repeat. If necessary, repeat this process until the stain is gone. If you're cleaning carpet, vacuum to restore softness and even nap.

TIP: For directions on how to remove dog urine stains, click here.